Lecturing Brooks Was As Useful As Lecturing

It Was As If The News Itself Wanted To Reassure Me. Even Jack The Ripper Himself Had Reappeared As Part Of The Greeting Committee.

It Was Almost Funny. Life Seemed Downright Accidental In Its Brevity, And Death A Punch Line To A Lousy Joke.

Just Then, My Phone Started Ringing. The Ring Must Have Been Damaged By The Water As Well, So Now It Had A High, Keening Note - Kind Of The Sound I Imagine A Mermaid Might Make If You Punched Her In The Face.

Oh My God!" Said One Of The Ambers. "is This Not The Worst Trip Ever? Did You See The Snow?" She Was A Sharp One, This Amber. What Would She Notice Next? The Train? The Moon? The Hilarious Vagaries Of Human Existence? Her Own Head?

It Was Like The Entire World Was Colluding To Make Me Feel Insane, And It Was Doing A Really Good Job.